🎙️How do you get invited onto podcasts?

Hello,

When someone wants PR, they will most often start by asking for how to get into a print publication. Traditional publicity is great for kudos, but does it actually move the dial against your business goals?

Hmm.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Podcasts are great for building a connection with your listener. They might be in the bath, driving, or cooking dinner. That connection is important when we’re small businesses - one reason someone might buy from us over a competitor is that sense of familiarity.

I’m a big fan of applying big-business strategies to ourselves.

During every election cycle, a new comms strategy emerges that we can replicate. Obama was famous for his social media and tech campaign.

The 2024 US election was dubbed the “Podcast Election.” From July until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on eight shows, while Donald Trump appeared on 20. The stats make for interesting reading1.

But how does this apply to us?

I wouldn’t necessarily be chasing the big slots. I am a fan of engaging with the right geeky audience - and so many niche podcasts can do just that.

(For a ready-made list of podcasts, newsletters, and other ways to hype yourself, check out my ready-made directory for paid subscribers).

In part 2, I’ll get into the nitty-gritty of how I write podcast pitches, including templates.

But today, I want to show how I’ve landed podcast spots without a huge following or turning over millions - because if I can do it, so can you. It’s about taking small, intentional hyping steps.

Lucy x

1. Be enthusiastic about your thing

One of my mantras is, “You are always launching”.

I hate how publishers push books for three months, then support drops off a cliff.

I once made a not-so-great-looking Instagram reel, showing how I’d hidden a copy of my book in a Lonon hotel library, to inspire others to keep hyping their book years after launch.

That led to Alice Benham inviting me onto her podcast.

Takeaway: You don’t just get one launch moment. How can you show how much you live and breathe your work, even in small, everyday ways?

2.Be a genuine fan / make genuine friendships

I set my sights on both Chris Do, The Futur podcast and with years before I got them.

And let me tell you, I wasn’t 100% confident I’d make it on either, but I didn’t let it stop me.

I knew I had a different take from the usual guests and knew their audience well. I followed their work for ages and took time to create a real connection.

I eventually found out Chris would be at Adobe Max LA, so I bought his book and gave him a copy of mine.

I had Instagram notifications on for Chris for two years before this ‘chance’ meeting. When he posted, I was there. (My first goal was to be a guest carousel collaborator, but then he stopped doing them, so I moved my goalposts.)

After gifting him his book, he invited me to talk about PR for his audience, much to my squealing, jetlagged delight.

prefers audiobooks, so when Hype Yourself launched, I wanted to give him a copy, but the audiobook wasn’t ready yet.

Luckily, my opportunity came in lockdown during Clubhouse days.

It was a good opportunity to showcase my expertise within that audio format.

One day I just blurted out, “So you going to invite me onto the show or something?” he was like “Oh yeah, we should do that”.

I count both of these people as industry friends, and I am now passing on to other mutual connections or potential collaborators, and vice versa.

Takeaway: Don’t see podcast booking as one-offs. How else can you collaborate and create win-win with the host?

3. Don’t be afraid to be public with your dreams

When launching my second book, I wanted to aim for a Sunday Times bestseller. I talked about this a lot in public

I like aiming big to show other players that it’s possible, even without a massive following.

Talking publicly about failing to hit that bestseller list got me an invite onto an episode with .

And to flag, whilst Penny’s podcast did not have the millions in reach as Chris Do, it led to my most paid work! This solidifies that a podcast with the right audience match will work harder for you.

Takeaway: Sharing the fails, and the lows are relatable. (In my case, it was unavoidable for the last month.) You don’t need to be a walking trophy cabinet to get podcast bookings. It is your stories that matter.

Hyping myself in small incremental ways compounds over time. I’ve never had that one big break moment. I am just unreasonably consistent in sharing what I’m up to.

What small thing could you talk about today to get started flexing that muscle for yourself?

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